Multi-shaped electrical conduit system and components thereof

Abstract

Several examples are provided that relate to components or component parts of an electrical harness, such as an electrical conduit, for routing electrical signals to an electromechanical actuator. These components may benefit from additive manufacturing techniques or methodologies. In these examples, the component parts can have non-standard shapes and sizes, as well as one or more additional beneficial attributes, such as shielding properties, anti-chafing properties, reduced weight, integral attachment interfaces, condensation drainage holes, etc. Some embodiments of the present disclosure may be suitably manufactured with any powder bed or direct deposition technology using the melting of rods/wire/powder, such as selective laser sintering (SLS). Other Solid Freeform Fabrication (SFF) technology, such as Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology, can be employed to manufacturer one or more components parts of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, the representative methods include optional post-machining, post-treatments, etc.

1 . An additive manufactured electrical conduit, comprising:
 a printed conduit body comprised of two or more body sections;   two or more passageways extending through at least one of the two or more body sections, the two or more passageways being separated within the body by at least one partition, wherein the at least one partition exhibits electrical shielding properties.   
     
     
         2 . The electrical conduit of  claim 1 , further comprising a metal coating layer disposed on the at least one partition, the metal coating layer configured to exhibit electrical shielding properties. 
     
     
         3 . The electrical conduit of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more body sections are rigid, and include a first body section and a second body section. 
     
     
         4 . The electrical conduit of  claim 3 , wherein the first body section is disposed at a non-standard angle with respect to the second body section. 
     
     
         5 . The electrical conduit of  claim 4 , wherein the non-standard angle does not form a planar 2-dimensional bend, and wherein physical deformation is not present at a junction between the first body section and the second body section. 
     
     
         6 . The electrical conduit of  claim 4 , wherein the non-standard angle is not 15 degrees or a multiple of 15 degrees. 
     
     
         7 . The electrical conduit of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more body sections are integrally formed and include a first body section and a second body section, wherein the first body section has a length, and wherein the first body section has a cross-section that varies in shape and/or size along said length. 
     
     
         8 . The electrical conduit of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the two or more passageways has a cross-section that varies in shape and/or size along a length thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The electrical conduit of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second rib members spaced apart and extending along a portion of either the first section or the second section. 
     
     
         10 . The electrical conduit of  claim 1 , further comprising a power wire routed through one of the two or more passageways, the power wire configured to carry a power signal, and a sensor wire routed through the other one of the two or more passageways, the sensor wire configured to carry a sensed signal. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making an electrical conduit of an electrical harness system, the method comprising:
 obtaining digital data representative of the electrical conduit according to  claim 1 ;   using the digital data to fabricate the electrical conduit from a first material by a solid freeform fabrication process.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the solid freeform fabrication process is Fused Deposition Modeling and the first material includes PEKK. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises
 plating at least a portion of the at least one partition with an electrically shielding material.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the electrically shielding material includes nickel, zinc or copper. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising
 routing a power wire through one of the two or more passageways, the power wire configured to carry a power signal; and   routing a sensor wire through the other one of the two or more passageways, the sensor wire configured to carry a sensed signal.   
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the digital data is further representative of at least one attachment structure selected from a group consisting of:
 one or more attachment lugs; and   first and second rib members spaced apart and extending traverse along a portion of the body.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the digital data is further representative of the body having first and second sections, and wherein the first section is disposed at a non-standard angle with respect to the second section. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the non-standard angle includes angles that are not a multiple of 15 degrees. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The electrical conduit of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more body sections include a first body section and a second body section, wherein one of the first or second body sections has a cross section that is crescent shaped. 
     
     
         22 . A solid freeform fabricated electrical conduit, comprising:
 a printed thermoplastic conduit body comprised of two or more body sections;   two or more passageways extending through at least one of the two or more body sections, the two or more passageways being separated within the body by at least one partition,   wherein the at least one partition exhibits electrical shielding properties.